December 8, 2023

Activision-Blizzard is walking out again, Australia’s game industry unionizes

Australia’s game industry unionized this past week. This move signals a greater push for better conditions, like working hours and pay scales, as well as standardization of benefits across the board in Australia. The Australian Video Game Development Association said it was time to rebel against Activision-Blizzards exploitative practices.,

Activision-Blizzard is walking out again, Australia’s game industry unionizes. Activision-Blizzard has been accused of not paying royalties to Australian developers, and the Australian Game Developers Association (AGDA) has organized a strike in response. Read more in detail here: activision blizzard allegations.

Workers at Activision-Blizzard are continuing to mobilize: Employees at Activision’s RavenQA conducted a walkout yesterday in response to large layoffs over the weekend, and they’re doing it again today, this time joined by workers from other Activision-Blizzard companies, including Blizzard itself.

For the second day in a row, Raven QA employees are on strike. Workers from QATX, QAMN, and Blizzard QA have joined them. These employees agree with Raven Quality Assurance’s statement from yesterday. They’re using the hashtag #WeAreRaven on social media.

ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) December 7, 2021 ABetterABK ABK Workers Alliance ABK Workers Alliance ABK Workers Alliance ABK Workers Alliance ABK Workers Alliance ABK Workers Alliance ABK Workers Alliance

Meanwhile, Game Employees Unite Australia has been an activist organisation in Australia for a long, empowering and supporting workers who want to join a union. However, it will relaunch as Game Workers Australia next year to act as an industry-wide union for the video game business, offering a platform for every employee to unionize and organize appropriately. The current plan is for the union to begin operations in March 2022, albeit that date is fraught with uncertainties.

According to GWUA’s official release, this will allow the group to assist in the creation of collective action for the individuals it represents to deal with discrimination, underpayment, and/or lobbying for suitable agreements as needed. It’s a significant step forward for the company and another milestone in the continuing unionization issue in the sector as a whole. It remains to be seen if an industry-wide union will have the same clout as one centered on a single development studio, but progress is being made.

Due to a lengthy run of controversies in the MMO and gaming field over the past several years, including the Blitzchung boycott, huge layoffs, labor issues, and executive pay controversy, Activision-Blizzard is regarded a problematic corporation in the MMO and gaming industry. The company was sued by the state of California in the summer of 2021 for fostering a work environment that was riddled with sexual harassment and discrimination, and the company’s disastrous response has added to Blizzard’s ongoing pipeline issues and the widespread perception that its online games are on the decline. Multiple state and federal authorities are investigating the corporation as of autumn 2021, and the industry has demanded Bobby Kotick’s resignation after further allegations on his wrongdoings.

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Activision-Blizzard has walked out again, this time in Australia. The Australian game industry unionizes to show support for the developers. Reference: blizzard walkout photos.